moral theology l ecture
TRANSCRIPT
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MTheology- covers the study of mans way to God as indicated by conscience andtoral he law of Christ, made possible by Gods grace.
It covers the moral aspect of human acts, physical, psychological and moralfreedom.
Speculative and practical science which deals with mans journey to God guided byconscience and the law of Christ, with man as a pilgrim, created in the image andlikeness of God.
Science of what man ought to be by the reason of what he is
Part of theology that searches for the norms of free human conduct in the light of therevelation
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Definition- it is the speculative and practicalscience which deals with mans journey to Godguided by conscience and the law of Christ and
more specifically with man as a pilgrim and asan image of God. (St. Thomas Aquinas)
It is the science of what man ought to be byreason of what he is. (M. Oraison)
The part of theology that searches for the normsof free human conduct in the light of theRevelations. (Franc Bockle)
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That part of theology which studies mans actions in thelight of Christian faith and of reason the guidelines manmust follow to obtain his final goal. (Peshke)
Thus, an adequate definition will have the followingelements:
1. it is a SCIENCE concerned about what ought to be
2. NORMS- standard, guidelines
3. JUDGING RIGHT OR WRONG
4. dealing with HUMAN CONDUCT- human acts free anddeliverate
5. summed up by RESPONSIBILITY commitment6. responding to a personal invitation of Jesus
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Dogmatic theology- speculative in character, reflecting on the natureof God, and of his creatures.
ex Dogma ofDivine Revelation
Moral Theology- practical science drawing from the dogmatic truthsthe consequences for human actions and
guiding men toward the realization of his final goal.
Ethics or Moral philosophy excludes positive revelation of the Oldand New Testament as source of its moral knowledge and guidance
Divine Revelation these are supernatural truths revealed to us byGod which we have to believe
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2D
ivisions of Moral Theology1. General or Fundamental M.T.- deals with the generalconditions and qualities with which actions must bebased in order that it may contribute to final goal.
It deals with mans responsibility in the religious realm-faith, hope, charity and worship.
2. Special M.T.- deals with human behavior in thedifferent spheres and situations of life.
It deals with mans responsibility in the religious realm-faith, hope, charity and worship.
It deals with responsibility to the created world.
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Similarity between Ethics and Moral Theology
Both are concerned with human acts
Both are concerned with the morality of human conduct
Both are essential guiding principles and principles for mans moral
life Differences
Ethics is universal in its sphere concern with universal norm,conduct, custom common to all men
Moral Theology is specific
Medium of knowledge
Ethics = reason MT- Faith
End
Ethics- Natural end M. T- Supernatural
Sense of Perception M.T Intuition of the first Principle
Reason M.T Faith
Philosphy and Metaphysics should be studied in order to appreciatethe existence of God
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End
Ethics- Natural end M. T-Supernatural
Sense of Perception M.T Intuition
of the first Principle Reason M.T Faith
Philosphy and Metaphysics should bestudied in order to appreciate theexistence of God
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Purpose of Moral Theology1. to point out the purpose of Christianvocation
2. to bring faith, truth, and love as Christdid.
3. to develop Christian moral adulthood.
Ethics and Moral Theology are both
concerned with human activities andactions.
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Ethics or Moral Philosophy- deals with humanactivity in as much as the acts are in conformitywith the natural end. The medium of knowledgeis reason alone, setting out the data ofexperience and acquired knowledge.
Derived from Greek word ethos- conscience Ethics excludes positive revelation of the Old
and New Testaments as source of its moralknowledge and guidance.
Ethics is concerned with norms, mores ortraditions and principles of behavior insofar asthese principles are known by reason.
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Mans Natural EndOnce a person reaches maturity, he faces aquestion for himself: What should I do with mylife? What is my purpose in life?
Thus, his actions are all directed to his goal, hispurpose, his end.
Human actions are characteristically an actionfor an end.
The principle of human acts is the end, goal orpurpose.
If no good (real or apparent) is known by reason,no human act is performed
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The will is a blind faculty no desire unless thereason shows there is something desirable
Nothing enters the mind without passing firstthrough the senses. Aristotle
* mans action is good if it leads him to his endand bad if it drives him away from his ultimateend.
2 kinds of goodApparent Good
Real Good
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Attainment of the goal or end- the ultimate endnecessitates acts.
The ultimate end is a fixed principle but the
various means to attain it is not .
Freedom of Choice applies to these means.
Morally good acts are those which are suitable to
the attainment of the end.
Morally bad acts are those unsuitable to theattainment of ultimate end.
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Moral Theology presupposes Ethics andadds another dimension.
Revelation- the medium of knowledge is
reason enlightened by faith.Catholic moral teaching is based on
Revelation, Scriptures and traditions.
Revelation is left to the care of the Churchand not on ones private interpretation.
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- acts that are proper to man as man
- acts internal or external,bodily or spirituallyperformed by a human being
ACTS OF MAN
- ACTS THAT MAN PERFORM INDELIBERATELY ORWITHOUT ADVERTENCE
- mans animal act of sensation (use of senses) andappetition ( bodily tendencies)
_
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- acts done abstractedly or with complete
inadvertence
- acts performed in infancy, infirmity mind orthe weakness of senility- acts done in sleep, in delirium, in the state of
unconsciousness
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CONSTITUENTS OR ELEMENTS OF HUMAN ACTS
KNOWLEDGE
_ product of the mind after due intellection
_ proceeds from the deliberate will
Kinds of Knowledge
Abstract- purely speculative, knowledge that is not enough for morals
_ it will lead to split level christianity or to legalism
_ Oftentimes children and students are guilty of this
_ Religion and moral values are learned without appreciating it
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B. Evaluative knowledge
_ knowledge applied or knowledge of appreciation is
required
_ what is objectively true must be subjectively true andmeaningful for me
_ True education aims at the formation of the human
person with respect to his ultimate goal and
simultaneously with respect to the good of the society of
which he is a member and in whose responsibilities as
an adult he has to share
_
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MODIFIERS OF HUMAN ACTS
A. IGNORANCE
_ the absence of knowledge
_ is the absence of knowledge that ought tobe there ( privative)
_ the absence of intellectual knowledge inman ( negative)
_ negation of knowledge
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Kinds of Ignorance
A. Ignorance in its Object
- Ignorance of the Law is the ignorance in
the existence of a duty, rule or regulation
ex. A young freshman comes to class with
fever to take an exam in chem not knowing
that a memo has been passed prohibitinganyone to attend his class with symptoms
manifesting AH1N1
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Kinds of vincible ignorance
1.1 Simply vincible- some effort has been done but notenough to dispel the ignorance
1.2 Crass or Supine- result of total or nearly lack ofeffort to dispel it
1.3 Affected- if positive effort has been done to retain
the ignorance.
Past actions cannot be judged with present knowledge
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2. Invincible Ignorance- ignorance that
ordinary and proper diligence cannot
dispel.
this is attribitable to 2 causes;
(a) the person has no realization of his
lack of knowledge
(b) the person who realizes his
ignorance finds his effort ineffective
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C. IGNORANCE IN ITS Result
1. Antecedent Ignorance that whichprecedes all consent of the will
ex. The chef served a poisonous mushroomnot knowing that it can cause the death of itscustomers
2. concomitant- accompanies an act thatwould have been performed even if the
ignorance did not exist.ex.A nominal Catholic misses Sunday mass
but if even if he knows, he will still miss it.
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3. consequent- that which follows upon
the act of the will
ex. A Catholic suspects that it is aday of obligation but deliberately
refrain from making sure, and does
not attend the mass.
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PRINCIPLES
1. Invincible ignorance destroys the
voluntariness of the act
2. Vincible Ignorance does not destroy the
voluntariness of an act
3. Vincible Ignorance lessens the voluntariness
4. Affected ignorance is one way lessens and inanother way increase voluntariness
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ll. ERROR- state of beleiving what is not true
Like ignorance is a privation of right knowledge and trueinsight due to false opinions and convictions because ofdeficient education, influence of bad company, reading
of misleading books and papers, insidous influence ofmass Media.
Error is positive ignorance. We all need erasers to ourpencils.Principle of error follow Principle of Ignorance
lll. Inattention momentary deprivation of knowledge
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B. FREEDOM
Not the power to do what we like, but the the right of
being able to do what we know we ought to do in
relation to our ultimate end.Responsibility- the ability of an individual to givew a
fitting response to a human situation that involves
human needs. Both freedom and responsibility are
interlinked with each other and as such inseparable
There ar many things in man that he would like to do
but he cannot do.
ex. To stay young forever, to know everything
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Although his freedom is limited , he is free in hischoices
His freedom lies on the fact that once he made adecision no one can make him change his mind
When he chooses no power whatsoever canforce him to change his choice(dignity of man)
He can be enticed, induced, persuaded butnever forced.
His choice is not on his natural end but is freedetermine himself towards the end and meansto attain it
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Kinds of Freedom
1. Physical- freedom from any want of physical
bond. It is anything that exists physically that
control our actions.
ex. Freedom of speech- the ability to say
privately and publicly what one thinks and
believes. When somebody prevents as to say
what we think of them- that somebody becomes
the physical bond to our physical freedom.
2. Psychological- is the freedom from any
inner forces or inner bonds.
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Ex. Freedom to think what we really want and
not accepting decisions from others. Brain
washing is against this kind of freedom because
we are forced to do something which is againstour will and conscience.
3. Moral- the ability to choose between right and
wrong and tell the difference between good and
evil
C. Obstacles
1. Sociological- those that involve evolution and
phenomena of human society.
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Includes customs, human traits and social
ex. Superstition
2. Psychological- the tendency of being to act in
response to any given situation, whether
referred to the well-being of the organism or not.
It may rise the outside which is perceived by
the senses.ex. Habit like drinking, smoking and vices like
women
4.Pathological- the person possesses some kind of
a disease
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Ex. Disease: psychosis or psycopathy which is
the ailment due to the damage of the tissues of
the brain, mental and nervous disorder etc.
IMPAIRMENTS OR OBSTACLES TO FREEDOM
PASSION- it is a movement of the appetite which
is produced by good or evil as apprehended by
the imagination
2 classes of passion
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a. Concupiscible - instinctive passion or
developed passions- joy, sadness, desire,
aversion, love and hatred regulated by
Temperance
b. Irascible- aggressive or easily provoked
Ex. Hope, desire, courage, fear, anger-
regulated by Fortitude
-Movements of the passions are frequently
called feelings esp. if not vehement
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-Concupiscense has no connotation of evil. Man
has endowed man with these appetites, which
pervades his whole sensitive life. They are
instruments for the self-preservation of theindividual.
- A man without them would be in no capacity for
self-defense, growth and improvement
- Passions becomes destructive & evil if
their force is not controlled by reason.
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- The whole process of moral education,
both in the early & in the maturer years of
his life is a process of gaining command
over all the movements of the passions.
Eventually man becomes the passions of
himself.
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Divisions of Passions
1. Antecedent Or inculpable Passion- occurs when itsprings into action unstimulated by the will.
- always lessens the voluntariness of the act anddiminishes responsibility since it hinders reflection ofreason and weakens attention
- the stronger is the passion the weaker is the intellectand will
- does not destroys the responsibility of the agent sinceknowledge and freedom maybe lessened but he is stillthe master of his act
If passion is so great, as to make control impossiblethen the agent is temporarily insane and his act is not
human act but acts of man
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2. Consequent passion- follows the freedetermination of the act and is freely admittedand consented to and deliberately aroused.
- the will directly or indirectly stirs them up- however great does not lessen thevoluntariness since it is willed directly orindirectly.
ex. Planned revenge or assassination, readingpornography, singing hymns of praise
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Principles
1. Antecedent Passion lessens the voluntariness
of an act since it urges one to action. However
voluntariness depends upon knowledge andfreedom. It disturbs the mind and thwarts more
or less the calm judgment of the mind upon the
moral qualities of the mind. It lessens the full and
prompt control of the mind and thereforeimpairs freedom
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But it does not destroy the voluntariness of
the act since even if freedom is lessened it
is not destroyed; and the agents
responsibility while diminished is not
cancelled.
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2. Consequent passion, no matter great,
does not lessen the voluntariness. It is
willed directly or indirectly and the acts
that proceeds from it have their proper
voluntariness, direct or indirect.
ex. Revenge or planned assassination
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3. Fear- shrinking back of the mind because of animpending evil
Kinds:
a. Acts done with fear or inspite of fear as when a
person climbs a dangerous mountain at night . Fear inthis case accompanies an act whichin itself is voluntary
b. Acts done from fear and through fear or because offear as when a person threatened with a gun yields hiswealth to a thief.
c. fear maybe slight or grave according to the amount ofproximity of the impending evil. The danger of death orlosing a big amount of property are cases of grave fear.
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Principles
1. An act done from fear, however great, is simply
voluntary, although it is regularly also
conditionally involuntary.
- If fear is so great as to make the agent
momentarily insane, the act done from fear is
not voluntary at all, for it is not a human act but
acts of man.
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But as long as the agent has the use of
reason,the act is simply voluntary.
However the act is involuntary since the
agent would not do it under ordinary
circumstances were not for the presence
of evil.
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3. Violence- the application of an external force ina person by another free agent for the purpose
of compelling someone him to do something
against his will. Violence consists in the actualapplication of physical force to extort something
from a person.
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- No physical force or external agent can
destroy the freedom and the intrinsic
power of choice. No matter how violently a
person maybe treated his will always
remain free for physical force can never
reach the extrinsic act of the will.
Physically a person maybe compelled todo something but he cannot be compelled
to will something against his will.
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Principles
1. Physical actions resulting from violence are
involuntary by themselves. They are performed
by external faculties which suffer violence.
ex. The body of a woman can be violated, but
her will or internal consent may remain inviolate
or she may intentionally consent.
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2. Absolute violence if the will dissents
totally and resists as best as it can & ismeaningful & excludes any voluntariness
from the forced action.
- Active resistance should always be
offered to an unjust aggressor. However if
resistance is impossible, or if there is a
serious threat to ones life, a person
confronted by violence can always offerintrinsic resistance by withholding his
consent; that is enough to save his moral
integrity.
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4. Customs and Habits constant and easy way of
doing things acquired by the repetition of the
same act.
We are victims of our unconscious past.
Principles
1. A deliberately admitted habit does not lessenvoluntariness and actions resulting there from
are voluntary at least in their cause, as long as
the habit is allowed to endure.
2. An oppose habit lessens voluntariness, &sometimes prevents it completely
Pathologic conditions of psychiatric nature
or mental deficiencies are not human acts
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Education is so powerful in forming good or bad
attitudes & habits. It is therefore that a child must
be gently trained during their tender age tosubdue evil inclinations in order to acquire good
habits & to practice Christian virtues. A child
should never be left uninfluenced by religion
until he is able to make his own choice.
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A person may not be free by force of his
habit to act at the moment but he is still
responsible to his actions if he consentsby free decision to the habit as such.
Approval of the habit also includes
approval of its consequences.
When a tries very hard to overcome his
bad habit , he will be frequently be
excused from sin if nevertheless he yields
to temptation.
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When a person dislike his bad habit and
does not take serious effort to break it, the
voluntariness is lessened only slightly.
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5. Psychological, nervous & mental disorder,
neurotic, Psychotic, Schizoprenic, Manic
depressive, trauma, phobias (Trance,
Hypnotism)
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6. Social pressures and Manipulation
social pressure has increased in our
time; radio, television, computer,cell
phones, propaganda, technology affect
our freedom. We are becoming more
socially anonymous & depersonalized.
Many times we are immoral when thingsare loved and people are used. It is the
rule of life, to love people and use things
and not the other way around.
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OBJECT
- that effect which an action primarily or directly
causes.
- it is always & necessarily the result of the act,
independent of any circumstances or of an
intention of the human agent.
ex. The effect of the consumption of alcohol isdrunkenness, independent of the circumstances
whether it is taken at home or in public tavern,
whether the intention of the drinker
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Voluntariness
Etymology- Latin voluntas willAn act to be voluntary means that it is a will
act.
-formal essential quality of human act and tobe present there must be knowledge and
freedom
Kinds of voluntariness1. Perfect- present in an act when a person
fully knows and fully intends the act
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-imperfect- when there is some defect in the
agents knowledge, intention or both
Ex. A lie of exaggeration in a lively narrative
where the narrator adverts partly in order
to stretch the mattera little.
-Simple- present in a human act where the
agent may like or dislike what he is doing
Ex. Drinking medicine
2. Conditional present in an agents wish
to do something other than that which he
is actually doing.
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Ex. The commander of a distressed vessel
lightens cargo by throwing valuable
merchandise overboard.
3.Direct present in an act willed in itself.
ex a man kills a rabbit
- Indirect present in an act which is theforeseen result of another act directly
willed.
ex A man kills a rabbit for dinner. Hedirectly wills the act of killing as a means
to be achieved(dinner)
he directly wills the dinner. Now suppose
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The rabbit is a tamed pet of the kids and a
source of joy to the kids. Killing the rabbit
will be depriving them of pleasure and willbring them sorrow.
He does not directly will the effect of his act
but it is the foreseen effect of his dirctlywilled act, he wills it indirectly, or in its
cause.
4.Positive present in a human act of doing
or performing
- Negative- present in a human act of
omitting, refraining from doing
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ex.
A man goes to mass on Sunday (Positive)
A Catholic deliberately misses the Sunday
mass (Negative)
5. Actual- present in an act willed here and
now
Virtual- present in an act done as a result
of a formerly elicited actual intention, even
if the intention be here or now is forgotten- habitual- present in an act done in
harmony harmony with but not as a result
of a formerly elicited and unrevoked act.
Interpretative a voluntariness which in the
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- Interpretative- a voluntariness which in the
judgment of prudence and common sense
would actually be present if opportunity or
ability for it were given.
- Ex.
- A man makes the morning offering.here
and now he actually intends to live for God
and offer all his words, thoughts and
actions for him
- A man makes the morning offering but
during the day forgets about it but has not
done anything that will contradict his
intention.In all these acts he has not made
Any intention of doing it for God( but he has the
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Any intention of doing it for God( but he has the
virtual intention of doing them) so all acts he has
performed even those he has forgotten is for the
service of God because of his virtual intention.A. Indirect Voluntariness- present in human act
which is an effect, foreseen or unforeseen or
foreseeable, of another act directly willed.
1. when is an agent responsible for the evil effect of
a cause directly willed?
3 conditions to fulfill:1.a. The agent must be able to foresee the evil
effect, at least in a general way
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2. The agent must be free to refrain from doing
that which is the cause of the evil effect.
3. the agent must be morally bound not to do thatwhich is the cause of the evil effect
Ex.
Buchoy knows that if he drinks liquor, he will drinkin excess, and will use blasphemous language,
which will scandalize those that hear. He often
says that he detests intemperance and
blasphemy. Nevertheless he drinks liquor, andthe foreseen evil occur.
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The example showed that the agent is bound to avoid the
cause of the evil effect, and his obligation arises from the very
fact that the effect is evil.
B. Principle of Double Effect it states that from one single
effect there are two effects one good and one evil and they
happen simultaneously and if it one must be ahead of the
other it must be the good effect.
Conditions to fulfill:
b.1. the evil effect must not precede the good effect
b.2. there must be a reason sufficiently grave calling for the
act in its good effectb.3. the intention of the agent must be honest, that is, the
agent must directly intend the good effect and merely
merely permit the evil effect as a regrettable incident or
side issue.
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Can the ff: situations use the Principle of
Double Effect
a. The general of the army storms an enemycity. He foresees that many non-
combatants will be killed. Yet to take the
city will be a big leap towards winning ajust war.
b. The bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
have caused the surrender of Japan tothe Allied power. However, it caused the
death of so many civilians and the scars
of the war are still affecting the people
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through sickness.
c. A doctor can save a mothers life by destroying
the life of the mother. May he do so? Why not?
d. A person is dying in awful agony. Medical relief
there is none. Life cannot last beyond a few
hours at most. May a drug be administered tobring death quietly? Why not?
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OBJECT
The effect which an action primarily and directlycauses. It is always and necessarily the result ofthe act, independent of any circumstance or ofan intention of the human agent.
Ex: The effect of drinking a greater amount ofalcohol is drunkeness, independent of thecircumstance whether it is taken at home or in apublic place.
The effect of the human act is first of all thephysical, psychological, biological changeswhich an act brings about.
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Also, the effect includes the impact of the
act on right claims of persons whether of
other persons or of the agent himself. Andthe changes the act brings about on this
sphere e.g. the dissolution.appropriation ,
suspension, creation or transfer of claims
and rights.
Ex.
The object of an act of adultery is not only
the physiological happening of intercourse
but also the assumption of marriage rights
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by partners who are not married &
encroachment on the rights of a third
person
The object maybe morally good, evil or
indifferent. If the object is morally evil then
nothing can make it good.
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- A good end can make better an act good in
its object
- it can make good an act indifferent in itself- it can make less evil an act evil in itself
- A bad end can make worse an act evil in
object- it can make less good or evil an act good
in its
object.
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CIRCUMSTANCESParticulars of the concrete human act
which are not necessarily connected with
the object.who what where
why how when
with what means
Ci t diti th t ff t
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Circumstances are conditions that affect an
act and may affect it morally- although
they dont belong to the essence of the actas such.
- Conditions without which the act could
exixt, but which happen to affect or qualityit in its concrete performance.
a. Who Circumstance of person or agent
- Who is the agent?- To whom the action is done?
-
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Val shot a man.
It takes an added evil because the person he shot
was a Priest.2. What Circumstance of quantity or quality of
the object
What is the extent of the act?
Was the injury inflicted serious or slight?
Was the amount stolen large or small?
3. Circumstance of place
ex
The theft was committed in the presence of the
Blessed Sacrament
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6 Wh ? Ci t f ti
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6. When? Circumstance of time.
Did the agent miss mass on Sunday, or on a
day when he is not obliged to attend? How long did the agent retain an evil thought or
intention, for a long period or momentarily?
7. Why? Circumstance of end of the agent.
Some circumstances merely increase or
diminish the good or evil of the object.
Other circumstances add to the act a new goodor evil, differing in nature or species from that of
the act.
Ethi l P i i l i l d i th tt f
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Ethical Principles involved in the matter of
circumstances as determinants of morality
1. An indifferent act becomes good or evil byreason of the circumstances. Thus an act which
is indifferent in itself as object
ex
To eat meat is an indifferent act. But to eat meat
on a Good Friday is evil
2. A good act may become evil by reason of
circumstances.
ex
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ex
To pray to god is a good act. But to pray that
misfortune befall an enemy is an evilact by reason of the end of the act.
3. A good or evil act(objectively) may become
better or worse by reason of circumstances,
and may even take a new
goodness or malice from its circumstances.
4. A circumstance which is gravely evil (morally
sinful) destroys the entire goodness of anobjectively good act. Thus to do charity with
stolen money is evil by reason of circumstance
of means or instrument.
5 An evil act can never be made good by
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but not gravely sobut not gravely so5. An evil act can never be made good by
circumstances
6. A circumstance which is evil, but not gravely so,
does not entirely destroy the goodness of an
objectively good act.
ex
To pray carelessly and lazily does not entirely
destroy the goodness of the act of prayer,
although the full goodness of the act is injuredby the circumstance of manner.
The d f th t d t i t f lit
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The end of the agent as a determinant of morality
1. A good act done for a good end takes on an
added or new goodness from the end, and fromeach good end that influences the act.
2. A bad act done for an evil end takes on an
added or a new malice from the end, and from
each evil end that influences the act.3. A good act done for an evil end is wholly evil if
the end is the complete motive for the act or if
the end, while only a partial motive is gravely
evil. A good act done for an end slightly evil and
not the whole motive of the act, is only partially
vitiated.
4 An evil act can never become good by reason of
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4. An evil act can never become good by reason of
a good end.
5. An indifferent act is good if done for a good end,evil if for an evil end.
Principles on Circumstances
1. An indifferent act become good or evil by
reason of its circumstances
2. A good act may become evil by reason of
circumstances
3. An act may become better or worse, or maytake on a new goodness or evil by reason of
circumstances.
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4. A gravely evil circumstance entirely vitiates a
good act.
5. A slightly evil circumstance does not entirely
vitiate a good act.
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Sources defining morality of human actsThe norms which determine or measure the morality of ahuman act :
1. objectively- the moral law
2. subjectively- mans conscience
Human acts are morally good if in agreement with thesenorms and morally evil if in disagreement with them.
If the human act agrees or disagrees with the objectivenorm, it is objectively good or evil.
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If it agrees or disagrees with the subjectivenorm, it is subjectively good or evil.
A human act is good if all the 3 elements
(object, end, circumstance) are in harmonywith the moral norm.
A human act is morally evil if at least one
of the 3 elements is against the norm ofmorality.
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VALUES
Refers to the understanding of a certain good foran individual or society which is consideredworthy of realization.
Many problems in the area of morality involveconflict of values.
Ex: In making a moral decision, it is advisable toseparate the values involved in the issue and
secondly, it is important also to classify which ofthe values involved is most important to you.
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Properties of valuesBipolarity- 2-fold polarity
negative- the ugly, bad, the false
positive- the good, the beautiful, the true
Hierarchy- ranking- inferior or superior orequivocal to the other values
Ex: money is lower than wisdom, love is
higher than knowledge.
Moral value belongs to the practical life of man:
the value of self-realization, universal and obligatory forevery man.
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A human value can become a moral value if theperson becomes aware that he ought to realizea value in order to become what he ought to beand freely chooses to realize that value.
An authentic value is one that is:1. freely CHOSEN from among the alternatives
2. PRIZED- cherish your choice, be happy with it
3. ACTED upon- do something with it, do sorepeatedly so that a definite pattern results.
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In conclusion:
Identify the values which are in conflict.
Rank the values.If compromise is impossible, clarify what is
most important for you.
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3. Christian level- refers to a persons self-awareness as a child of God, how one ought tobe in the light of who he is.
Divisions of conscience
With regard to the act considered:
1. antecedent- if it precedes the act to be done;commands, forbids, counsels or permits theperformance of an act.
2. consequent- if it passes judgment on the act
already done; approves, excuses, reproves,accuses.
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With regard to its conformity with laws or objective normsof morality:
1. true- when it deduces correctly from the principles ofobjective norms
2. false/ erroneous- when it decides from false principles
Kinds of false/erroneous conscience:a. scrupulous- for little or no reason at all, judges an actas morally evil, when in fact it is not.
b. perplexed- judges wrongly that sin is committed bothin the performance or omission of an act.
c. lax- judges on insufficient ground that there is no sin inthe act or that the sin is not as grave as it is in fact.
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d. pharisaical- minimizes grave sin but
maximizes small ones.
With regard to the act of assent:
1.certain- when without any present fear of
error, considers the act lawful or unlawful.
2. doubtful- when it fails to pass a moral
judgment on the character of an act due to
fear of error.
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The 7 Capital Sins
Capital- they are always necessarily
they easily become vices and sources of sins.
1. Pride/vainglory- inordinate desire of honor by
destruction. Opposed to humility.2. Avarice- the inordinate pursuit of materialgoods, contrary to liberality.
3. Envy- discontent with the good of ones
neighbor, detriment to ones own person.Contrary to magnanimity.
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4. Lust- inordinate craving for sexualgratification, contrary to chastity.
5. Gluttony- excess in the enjoyment of food and
drink, opposed to temperance or obretty.
6. Anger- intemperate outburst of dislike with the
inordinate desire for anothers punishment.
Contrary to meekness and patience
7. Sloth- laziness, opposed to diligence.